Cherubic Danny Downes seeking more than moral victory at UFC 137

At Roufusport Academy in Milwaukee, Danny Downes (8-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) is heatedly sparring in the cage. Anthony Pettis’ best friend has dropped in and watches the proceedings. The friend leans over to Pettis and gym patriarch Duke Roufus and says, “Hey man, that kid is pretty good. When he grows up, he’ll be awesome.”

Downes is 25 years old, and a few day out from fighting Ramsey Nijem (4-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the preliminary card of UFC 137.

Even if he’s knocked out someone in a fight – and he has on five occasions – or broken an opponent’s nose, his cherubic face squashes any possibility of being taken seriously.

“I come out and people are like, ‘Hey, if I had to pick anyone here that I would start a fight with, I’d probably pick you because you don’t look very tough. But you’re a good fighter,'” Downes told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). “Well, you just insulted me but said I was a good fighter. This is the most backhanded compliment I’ve ever gotten, but thanks?”

UFC 137 takes place Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Prelim bouts air live on Spike TV in addition to streaming live on Facebook (including Downes vs. Nijem). Main-card bouts air live on pay-per-view.

Perhaps the biggest backhanded compliment Downes gets is in relation to his first big-show appearance, which came at WEC 49 against Chris Horodecki. He literally took the fight on a few days’ notice, and consequently, he was in way over his head.

A beatdown ensued, but Downes made it to the third round, once again proving you can’t judge a book by its cover.

Partly because he did the now-defunct promotion a favor, and partly because he showed how tough he is, he got another fight, and he went on to defeat Tiequan Zhang at WEC 53.

When he fought again for Zuffa, it was almost exactly one year later, and again, he faced an uphill slope. Division standout Jeremy Stephens was expected to meet “The Ultimate Fighter 12″ winner Jonathan Brookins, but Brookins got hurt, and Downes got the call.

It was a clear mismatch in comparative levels of experience, and Downes got the worst of the punishment. Although he took a decision loss, Downes proved another point, and with his toughness and razor-sharp humor, he perked up more ears.

“I’d rather take a real win over a moral victory any day, but it’s definitely cool to see how people have reacted,” Downes said. “But definitely this Saturday, I don’t plan on showing people how much punishment I can take. That only happens once in a while, and plus, I promised my mom I wouldn’t do it this week.”

Downes has a very good handle on what he’s in for this time around, and he plans on showing fans he’s more than just a punching bag – he’s actually a good fighter.

Nijem, meanwhile, is returning to the cage on uncertain ground. He was knocked out cold by Tony Ferguson in the finals of “The Ultimate Fighter 13,” and it was the first such loss on his record. Another loss could mean his UFC run is over before it really starts.

That makes him all the more likely to do what he does best, Downes believes. But it won’t be enough.

“We all know what [Nijem is] going to try to do; there’s no secret,” he said. “He’s going to try to run in there, bullrush me, and take me down.

“The worst thing he can do with his hands is give someone the flu.”

With Roufus in his corner and moral support from training partner and Bellator welterweight champ Ben Askren, who fights Jay Hieron halfway across the country at Saturday’s Bellator 56 event, Downes is well-prepared. And that’s the just the way he likes it.

Grocery clerks might never believe him when he says he’s a fighter, but UFC fans soon will.

MMAjunkie.com Radio broadcasts Monday-Friday at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) live from the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino’s Race & Sports Book. The show is hosted by Gorgeous George, MMAjunkie.com lead staff reporter John Morgan and producer Goze. For more information or to download past episodes, go to www.mmajunkie.com/radio.

From Our Partners

The Latest

As the UFC 189 tour made its last stop in Dublin, featherweight champ Jose Aldo was met with a torrent of abuse from the Irish fans. It might have been unpleasant, but it might also have been just what he needed.